The Pre-Flight Briefing - Pilot Shop Blog

In all the excitement and anticipation of sliding into the cockpit of that dream aircraft rental, stop for a moment to make sure that all the paperwork is in order. No, not the preflight check, although that is of course critical too.

Pilot students at Part 61 flight schools may begin training on analog instruments in their early days, but as they advance they will likely have the opportunity to experience glass cockpits. Glass cockpits use computer technology with features such as interactive moving maps.

However, some pilots prefer steam gauges because they are more affordable for general aviation aircraft use. In this article, we'll investigate—which is better, analog or glass cockpits?

Let's explore and find out!

A fixed pitch propeller does an okay job for takeoffs and a decent job for cruising while ground adjustable propellers force pilots to choose between maximizing either their climb performance or their cruise performance, but not both. At some point, many pilots say that “okay,” “decent,” and having to choose only one phase of flight whose performance to optimize are just not good enough. The solution is to choose a constant speed propeller.

Turbulence is caused by changes in altitude and atmospheric conditions and can subject aircraft to a variety of disturbances, requiring vigilance from air traffic control, concern from flight attendants, and raising worries about potential structural damage.

Learn more about the 7 types of turbulences every pilot should know!

Has the grey sky put a damper on your love of flying? Acing your IFR rating not only makes you an even more skillful pilot, but it also grants you priceless freedom. Of course, there's one area that many IFR learners have trouble with—decoding all those confusing IFR clearances and readbacks!

No problem though, we're here to help!

As a Bahamas Flying Ambassador, I often hear from pilots that are interested in flying to The Islands Of The Bahamas, but are concerned about taking their first trip. The most common concerns are related to crossing into foreign airspace, dealing with customs and overwater flight. This article explains policies and procedures in order to insure your flying adventure will be a success.

"America’s favorite taildragger" is a high-wing, single-engine, tandem-seat aircraft that is value packed and perfect for short fields, bush flying, high altitudes, and landings at unimproved airstrips. The Husky is custom designed to fit the needs of the backcountry adventurer who wants sturdy, rugged, high-quality bush plane performance paired with a generous payload and the fuel capacity to support the journey.

You are planning a weekend getaway and want to fly a straight line to your destination but as you consult the sectional, you realize that there is a large patch of restricted airspace right in the middle of your proposed flight path. Going around it would add over an hour to your flight, but that is your only option, right?